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Government of Canada Threatens to Defund Successful Self-Governing First Nation

CARCROSS, YT, July 17, 2012 /CNW/ - On October 1, 2012, the Canadian
government intends to defund the Carcross/Tagish First Nation (C/TFN)
unless it signs an unfair, unequal and non-negotiable funding
agreement. This would be the first time in Canadian history that a
self-governing First Nation is stripped of its funding in this way,
thereby devastating its people, and effectively throwing them into
poverty.

"The Carcross/Tagish First Nation are a proud self-governing people that
only want funding that is fair and comparable to other self-governing
Yukon First Nations," said C/TFN Kha Shade Heni (Chief) Danny
Cresswell. "Canada is forcing us to either accept inadequate and
unequal funding, so we cannot properly care for our people, or receive
no funding, which would be devastating to our First Nation."

The C/TFN is one of 11 self-governing First Nations in the Yukon and one
of 19 self-governing First Nations in the country. It achieved this
status in 2006, through the constitutionally-mandated Self-Government
Agreement. A Financial Transfer Agreement (FTA) is mandated to be
negotiated every five years. C/TFN's FTA expired on March 31, 2012.
Federal negotiators came to the table without a mandate to provide
comparable funding for essential programs and services. The federal
government demanded the C/TFN sign or see its funding withdrawn.
Subsequently, the expiration date has been moved to Sept 30, 2012.

"At the First Nations Summit in January, 2012, Prime Minister Harper
said that the government's goal is self sufficient citizens and self
governing communities. He said the government's goal is to promote
improved governance and increased Aboriginal participation in the
economy and in the country's prosperity," said Cresswell. "All we are
asking is for the Prime Minister to make good on his word and do what
is fair and equitable for our First Nation."

The C/TFN is pleased that Warren Kinsella — whose daughter is a C/TFN
citizen — and his team have signed up to assist in the dire dilemma it
faces.

The Carcross/Tagish First Nation is a self-governing Yukon First Nation
located in the southwest of Yukon. Their territory surrounds a portion
of the Klondike highway that runs from Skagway, Alaska to Whitehorse,
Yukon, including the Nares River Bridge, which is a vital gateway for
Yukon commerce and trade.

The Carcross/Tagish First Nation is mandated to protect the environment,
health, education and aboriginal rights of its people; to continue to
preserve and protect its culture and traditions; to protect and develop
its natural resources and strengthen its economy and the government of
the Carcross/Tagish First Nation for future generations.